Here's an opinion piece by Chuck Green who writes "Greener Pastures" for the Denver Post Aurora Sentinel...one of the more liberal papers in the country. Additionally, Mr. Green is a life long Democrat...so this is rather a stunning piece...

Obama is victim of Bush's failed promises

Greener Pastures Column -- Posted 04/26/10

Barack Obama is setting a record-setting number of records during his first year in office. Largest budget ever. Largest deficit ever. Largest number of broken promises ever. Most self-serving speeches ever.

Largest number of agenda-setting failures ever. Fastest dive in popularity ever.

Wow! Talk about change.

Just one year ago. fresh from his inauguration celebrations. President Obama was flying high. After one of the nation's most inspiring political campaigns, the election of America's first black president had captured the hopes and dreams of millions. To his devout followers, it was inconceivable that a year later his administration would be gripped in self-imposed crisis.

Of course, they don't see it as self-imposed. It's all George Bush's fault.

George Bush, who doesn't have a vote in congress and who no longer occupies the White House, is to blame for it all.

He broke Obama's promise to put all bills on the White House web site for five days before signing them.

He broke Obama's promise to have the congressional health care negotiations broadcast live on

He broke Obama's promise to close the detention center at Guantanamo in the first year.

He broke Obama's promise to make peace with direct, no precondition talks with America's most hate-filled enemies

during his first year in office, ushering in a new era of global cooperation.

He broke Obama's promise to end the hiring of former lobbyists into high White House jobs.

He broke Obama's promise to end no-compete contracts with the government.

He broke Obama's promise to disclose the names of all attendees at closed White House meetings.

He broke Obama's promise for a new era of bipartisan cooperation in all matters.

He broke Obama's promise to have chosen a home church to attend Sunday services with his family by Easter of last year.

Yes. it's all George Bush's fault. President Obama is nothing more than a puppet in the never-ending. failed Bush administration.

If only George Bush wasn't still in charge, all of President Obama's problems would be solved. His promises would have been kept, the economy would be back on track, Iran would have stopped its work on developing a nuclear bomb and would be negotiating a peace treaty with Israel. North Korea would have ended its tyrannical regime, and integrity would have been restored to the federal government.

Oh, and did I mention what it would be like if the Democrats. under the leadership of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, didn't have the heavy yoke of George Bush around their necks? There would be no ear marks, no closed-door drafting of bills, no increase in deficit spending, no special-interest influence (unions), no vote buying (Nebraska, Louisiana).

If only George Bush wasn't still in charge, we'd have real change by now.

All the broken promises, all the failed legislation and delay (health care reform, immigration reform) is not President Obama's fault or the fault of the Democrat-controlled Congress. It's all George Bush's fault.

Take for example the decision of Eric Holder, the president's attorney general, to hold terrorists' trials in New York City. Or his decision to try the Christmas Day underpants bomber as a civilian.

Two disastrous decisions.

Certainly those were bad judgments based on poor advice from George Bush.

Need more proof?

You might recall that when Scott Brown won last month's election to the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts, capturing "the Ted Kennedy seat," President Obama said that Brown's victory was the result of the same voter anger that propelled Obama into office in 2008. People were still angry about George Bush and the policies of the past 10 years. and they wanted change.

Yes, according to the president, the voter rebellion in Massachusetts last month was George Bush's fault.

Therefore, in retaliation, they elected a Republican to the Ted Kennedy seat, ending a half-century of domination by Democrats.

It is all George Bush's fault.

Will the failed administration of George Bush ever end, and the time for hope and change ever arrive?

Will President Obama ever accept responsibility for something... anything?

(Chuck Green is a veteran Colorado journalist and former editor-in-chief of The Denver Post.)

M&K's Retrievers

07-13-2010, 01:50 AM

Of course it is.

Gerry Clinchy

07-13-2010, 08:40 AM

Whew! That is a big sting from a liberal source. While I agree that there are some problems O faces that are a product of many years of previous policy (not just going back one administration), there are some promises he could have kept or at least given good reasons why he could not keep them.

On closing Gitmo. Obviously, once he got into office he came to the conclusion that some of those prisoners really were too dangerous to release; and that no mainland communities wanted those dangerous people on U.S. mainland soil. It would have been so easy to own up to that, and explain the reason. Personally, I don't know why it would matter that these people were incarcerated at Gitmo or somewhere else, as long as the detainment was determined to be valid & prisoner care acceptable to U.S. ethics. And if it is safer for the mainland security to have them isolated at Gitmo, what's the problem?

Negotiating with Iran, etc. It helps if the other side is willing to participate. Failing to recognize that the other side wasn't interested was an error. Or was it an effort to CYA in the event that some forceful action had to be taken?

Also recently saw a rather complimentary piece on NJ Gov Christie in the NY Times. It also seems that there are more voters who are paying attention to what's happening in the system. Perhpas this was the "change" that O was destined to make?

M&K's Retrievers

07-13-2010, 09:10 AM

?

Also recently saw a rather complimentary piece on NJ Gov Christie in the NY Times. It also seems that there are more voters who are paying attention to what's happening in the system. Perhpas this was the "change" that O was destined to make?

Wouldn't that be great if only it's true!

Ken Bora

07-13-2010, 09:39 AM

some days I get a mental image of President Bush sitting at home in Texas
watching the morning news and scratching his head thinking,
WOW, I did all that? When I was in office they said I wasn't getting anything done.

.

M&K's Retrievers

07-13-2010, 09:57 AM

some days I get a mental image of President Bush sitting at home in Texas
watching the morning news and scratching his head thinking,
WOW, I did all that? When I was in office they said I wasn't getting anything done.

.

I think he has one word in mind for those who do all the blaming , "Idiots!"